Any decent engineer could immediately tell you that wireless charging is not very efficient.
It works for a cellphone mainly because the battery is small, the device can be placed very close to the charger and the convenience is worth the wasted energy.
None of this applies in a case like the Cybertruck. But I suppose it makes for good hype.
tzs•4mo ago
There are electric buses with wireless charging in service in several places around the world. Efficiency is about 4% less than that of wired charging.
jqpabc123•4mo ago
Reference?
Buses operate for long periods of time over designated routes but with frequent stops.
Under these unique conditions, improvements in overall efficiency (not necessarily the charging part itself) is made possible by more frequent charging (at bus stops for example) and thus allowing the use of smaller, lighter weight batteries.
This obviously doesn't apply to the CyberTruck.
tzs•4mo ago
Here's a Federal Transit Administration report, "Effectiveness of Wireless Charging for Electric Transit Buses" [1].
Here's on article on wireless bus charging at transit agencies in Washington [2].
"With its proprietary on-route wireless solution now deployed throughout North America and Europe"
Yes, as expected and described above.
They are charging wirelessly at bus stops --- aka "on-route". This allows them to use smaller batteries with less weight for better *overall* efficiency.
This is obviously not applicable to CyberTruck and does not speak to the efficiency of the wireless charging process itself.
jqpabc123•5mo ago
It works for a cellphone mainly because the battery is small, the device can be placed very close to the charger and the convenience is worth the wasted energy.
None of this applies in a case like the Cybertruck. But I suppose it makes for good hype.
tzs•4mo ago
jqpabc123•4mo ago
Buses operate for long periods of time over designated routes but with frequent stops.
Under these unique conditions, improvements in overall efficiency (not necessarily the charging part itself) is made possible by more frequent charging (at bus stops for example) and thus allowing the use of smaller, lighter weight batteries.
This obviously doesn't apply to the CyberTruck.
tzs•4mo ago
Here's on article on wireless bus charging at transit agencies in Washington [2].
[1] https://www.inductev.com/press-releases/sound-transit-to-go-...
[2] https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/2024-12/...
jqpabc123•4mo ago
Yes, as expected and described above.
They are charging wirelessly at bus stops --- aka "on-route". This allows them to use smaller batteries with less weight for better *overall* efficiency.
This is obviously not applicable to CyberTruck and does not speak to the efficiency of the wireless charging process itself.